Elizabeth Simcoe
Elizabeth Simcoe was an influential figure in early Canadian history, known primarily for her detailed diaries and artwork created during her family's time in Upper Canada between 1791 and 1795. Born in 1762, Elizabeth faced personal tragedy early in life, losing both of her parents shortly after her birth. At the age of sixteen, she married John Graves Simcoe, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and they settled at Wolford Lodge in Devonshire, England, where they had eleven children. In 1791, the couple relocated to Canada when John was appointed lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada.
During their time in Canada, Elizabeth kept extensive journals that documented their experiences and the landscape, flora, and fauna of the region. Her writings and artistic endeavors provide valuable insights into the life and society of early Canada, as well as the challenges faced by settlers. After her husband’s untimely death in 1806, Elizabeth continued to raise her family, showcasing her strength and resilience. Through her narratives and artwork, Elizabeth Simcoe has left a lasting legacy, contributing to our understanding of Canadian history and the experiences of women during this era.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Elizabeth Simcoe
- Born: September 1, 1762
- Birthplace: Aldwincle, England
- Died: 1850
Biography
Elizabeth Simcoe, named after her mother, Elizabeth Spinkes Gwillim, was an orphan almost immediately upon her birth. Her father, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Gwillim, died seven months before her baptism, and her mother died just hours after giving birth to Elizabeth. The elder Elizabeth was buried on the same day that the younger Elizabeth was baptized, on September 22, 1762. The girl, given the middle name Posthuma in honor of her mother, was raised by her aunt Margaret for her first seven years and by her aunt and her aunt’s husband after 1769, when Margaret married Admiral Samuel Graves.
At age sixteen, Elizabeth married John Graves Simcoe, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and the godson of Samuel Graves. The couple settled at the country estate of Wolford Lodge in Devonshire; Elizabeth’s money, inherited from her parents, was used to purchase the estate. Together they had eleven children, six of whom—Eliza, Charlotte, Henrietta, Caroline, Sophia, and son Francis—were born at Wolford. In 1791, the year of Francis’s birth, John Graves Simcoe was named lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, and the couple departed for England for the North American colonies on September 26, 1791. They brought their two youngest children and left the four older children in the care of a Mrs. Hunt. The detailed journals that Elizabeth Simcoe kept while in Canada were sent to Mrs. Hunt, to be read to the children.
The traveling Simcoes arrived in the newly founded Quebec on November 11, 1791, just in time to endure a harsh winter. After traveling through Lower Canada, the family arrived in Newark in 1792, and Elizabeth stayed there for one year, giving birth to the couple’s seventh child, Katherine, who died at only fifteen months. The family returned to Upper Canada in 1795, and in 1796 John Graves Simcoe received a leave of absence from his duties due to repeated illnesses. The Simcoes returned to England.
Elizabeth’s husband was scheduled to assume command of the British forces in India in 1806, but during an ordered voyage to Portugal, he fell ill and died, leaving Elizabeth to lead the family of nine surviving children until her own death more than forty years later. Elizabeth Simcoe is known for the detailed diaries she kept during the family’s four-year stay in Canada. Having received in her youth a solid education, which included the study of plants, animals, and topographical art, she was able to create vivid images of Canada’s plant life, landscape, and people, both through the written word and through images in watercolors and sketches.